Chapter 20 - The Unopened Envelope
Six months later, the Saint-Germain Marina Bay project officially opened its doors to the world.
It was an architectural miracle. The kinetic facade breathed with the rhythm of the ocean tides, filtering natural sea breezes through luminous glass atriums that seemed to float weightlessly above the harbor. Over five thousand dignitaries, world leaders, and industry icons gathered in the grand amphitheater as the announcement echoed across international broadcasts: Ava Vance had been officially awarded the Golden Compass Award.
Standing on the stage, the heavy gold medallion resting against my silk dress, I looked out over the sea of cheering faces. Maya was weeping with pure joy in the front row. Eleanor Hayes was applauding with tears glistening in her sharp eyes. Further back, near the entrance of the public promenade, Ethan stood in a simple, well-tailored navy suit, offering me that same quiet, respectful nod that had begun our new chapter—no longer a fallen husband, but an honorable man standing on his own feet.
The ceremony transitioned into an opulent gala beneath the soaring glass vaults. Waiters carried silver trays of champagne, and classical strings harmonized with the gentle rhythm of the coastal waves below.
As I stepped away from the crowd toward my private executive office to catch my breath, Maya met me at the corridor threshold, her expression unusually serious, the joyful color draining from her cheeks.
"Ava," Maya whispered, holding out a thick, black parchment envelope sealed with a heavy crimson wax stamp. "This was just hand-delivered to the reception desk by a private courier service. He wouldn't leave until he confirmed you were in the building."
I looked at the envelope. There was no stamp, no return address, only my full maiden name written in exquisite, gold-leaf calligraphy: *Ava Vance.*
"Who sent it?" I asked, feeling an unexpected chill sweep down the back of my neck despite the warmth of the gala.
"It has the personal crest of the Valmont Dynasty," Maya replied, her voice trembling slightly. "The royal sovereign fund of Monaco. The ones who financed Richard Montgomery’s offshore shell company."
I took the envelope into my hands. The paper was ice-cold to the touch, heavy with an omen that seemed to reach far beyond corporate rivalry, reaching back into secrets long buried in the foundations of the city itself.
May you like
With a steady thumb, I broke the crimson wax seal and pulled out the folded document within.
As my eyes fell upon the very first handwritten line, my breath caught in my throat, and the world around me suddenly went utterly, terrifyingly silent.
